Devoted Mom and Daughter Alumnae: A Shared Pride
Gloria Schmidt Fastige ’48 was enthralled with her alma mater and made it to her 70th Class Reunion in 2018. Gloria was the first in her family to graduate high school and then to attend and graduate college. She studied French and Spanish and later went on to get her Master’s degree in Spanish. Her daughter, Fay Ferguson ‘79 had told her mother, “I will get you back to campus every year, until you’re unable to attend,” and she kept her word.
Just as Gloria was a proud alumna, donating to her alma mater for 39 years, Fay also shares immense pride over her time at then-Beaver College with 20 years of financial support.
Fay had started attending reunion with her mother at Beaver College when she was just fourteen years old. When she first stepped onto campus as a teenager, Fay thought the grounds were beautiful. She fell in love with The Grey Towers Castle. While her mother reminisced with friends at reunion back in the 50’s, Fay fondly remembers being a teenager and drawing photos on the stairs of The Castle. The popular radio hits played from the DJ’s speakers, and she imagined herself celebrating her own reunion. She thought, “Years later, at your reunion, there will be disco music playing.” When she attended Reunion with her mother, she would stay in the residence halls. Fay and her parents stayed in Heinz Hall, where she proudly stayed in a single-room by herself. She curiously woke up early in the morning to explore on her own. She recalls her father searching for her nervously as she mossied back to the residence hall. She was immersed in the spirit of the Scarlet and the Grey after spending time walking the grounds in Glenside.
Fay’s choice to attend Beaver College was easy. She applied in her junior year of high school and was accepted with an early decision. She originally had wanted to study History and the school’s beautiful architecture added to this desire. However, Fay ended up as an Art Major and started the Fine Arts Association at school. She followed in her mother’s footsteps by being an active member of the Glee Club and she played lacrosse for one year. “I had always been pretty shy in school, so when I graduated from high school, I decided I was going to be more outgoing and get involved…it took a lot of guts to audition for the Glee Club.” Fay continued, “I truly found myself at Beaver: I grew in confidence, independence, and found my voice.”
She was just on Glenside’s campus this past April 2024 to celebrate her 45th Milestone Reunion with her classmates. She exclaimed, “I’ve made every reunion since I’ve graduated, and some extras…I couldn’t miss this one!” When she returns to campus to this day, she finds herself gazing at The Castle. “I always walk up the steps to see if they squeak the same…they do,“ Fay says. “I picture myself walking down the stairs as part of the Glee Club, touching the railing as I take each step down.” Per her own request, Fay lived in The Castle during the second half of her freshman year, part of junior year, and all of her senior year. She recalls exactly which rooms she was in: Room 103, Room 201, and Rooms 107 A and B.
During reunions, you can still see Fay peering from the top of the landing, fondly looking over her years of memories stemming from the Grand Hall entryway. As she shared her story, she exclaimed, “Mom would be so happy!” Although Fay currently lives five hours away in Western Maryland, it’s evident she has no plans on missing a Beaver College/Arcadia University Reunion any time soon.
